# Engineering Lymphatic Transport of Nanoparticles through Emulsion Polymerization

## TL;DR

Researchers created nanoparticles that can target the lymphatic system by adjusting their chemical properties during synthesis.

## Contribution

A new method for designing lymphatic-targeting nanoparticles through emulsion polymerization is introduced.

## Key findings

- NP characteristics and transport properties can be controlled by adjusting copolymer surfactants.
- In vitro assays predicted in vivo lymphatic transport and uptake behaviors of the nanoparticles.
- The approach enables the design of drug delivery vehicles and imaging agents with tailored lymphatic targeting.

## Abstract

A library of lymphatic-targeting poly­(propylene sulfide)
nanoparticles
(NPs) synthesized with copolymers of different properties at various
concentrations was created. The effects of copolymer type and concentration
on NP properties were explored, along with the transport behaviors
of the NP formulations using in vitro assays that
modeled diffusion through the skin interstitium and permeability across
and uptake into lymphatic endothelial cells that predicted their in vivo lymphatic transport and uptake. By tuning the properties
of the copolymer surfactants used during NP synthesis, both the NP
characteristics and transport properties could be controlled, enabling
the design of lymphatic-targeting drug delivery vehicles and imaging
agents with varying behaviors.